Subtraction Strategies Teaching Resources
If you're teaching subtraction strategies and need printable worksheets, math center activities and more, you are in the right place.
Our expert teacher team has created hundreds of engaging subtraction resources that have been aligned to the curriculum. That means these resources will help you to help your students meet Common Core and state-level standards. What's more, each printable and digital teaching resource has undergone a rigorous review by the teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're student-ready.
What Is a Subtraction Strategy and Why Do We Teach Them?
There's no doubt that subtraction is a fundamental math skill that students must learn in order to progress to more advanced math concepts. That's where subtraction strategies come in handy — they help students to understand how to take away one number from another, and to visualize the results of subtraction problems.
Using strategies in math teaches students to think flexibly about numbers and will help them develop automaticity. These strategies are important for students to learn early in elementary school in order to be successful in math as they progress into middle school and later high school or even college.
What Are Some Different Subtraction Strategies?
If you're teaching subtraction for the first time in a long time, you might need to quickly revisit the strategies most often used for solving these problems! There are a few different strategies that can be used when subtracting numbers.
The Traditional Subtraction Strategy:
The most common strategy is to start at the number on the right and work your way left.
The New or Inverse Subtraction Strategy:
Another strategy for subtraction is to start with the number on the left and work your way right. This is often called the "new" or "inverse" method.
The Counting Up Strategy
The "counting up" strategy involves starting at the number you are subtracting from and counting up to the number you are subtracting.
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Bump! Subtraction to 10 Math Game
Practice subtraction facts to 10 with a fun printable subtraction board game.
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Subtraction Strategies – Worksheet
Assess your students’ knowledge of subtraction strategies with a subtraction assessment.
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Strip Diagram (Bar Model) Poster Pack
Help your students solve problems using the four operations with a pack of printable strip diagram anchor charts.
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Printable Blank Number Line - 0-120
Create personal number lines for use in math lessons with a printable blank number line template for numbers from 1-120.
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Strategies for Subtraction - Anchor Charts
Remind your students of the many subtraction strategies with a printable subtraction anchor chart display.
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Addition and Subtraction Word Problems - Match Game
Practice reading, modeling, and solving addition and subtraction word problems with a matching activity.
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Subtraction Stew - Halloween Math Worksheet
Have some spooky subtraction fun with a Halloween picture-model subtraction worksheet.
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2-Digit Subtraction Using Bar Models- Differentiated Worksheets
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with differentiated 2-digit subtraction worksheets focusing on the bar model strategy.
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2-Digit Subtraction Using Bar Models- Task Cards
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with a set of 2-digit subtraction task cards focusing on the bar model strategy.
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Think Addition - Fact Family Worksheets
Use addition to solve subtraction problems with this worksheet.
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Ten Frame - Printable Templates
Print a set of 10 blank ten frames to use in various math lessons.
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Subtraction Using Base 10 Blocks - Worksheet
Subtract two-digit numbers using base-10 blocks with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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Printable Number Line 0–30
Make counting a visual experience with this set of 4 multi-purpose 0–30 printable number lines.
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Linking Addition and Subtraction Worksheet
Explore the relationship between addition and subtraction with a fact family worksheet.
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Tens Frame - Addition and Subtraction Match-Up Activity
Build addition and subtraction skills with two tens frame matching games.
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3 Digit Subtraction With Regrouping Game Cards
Practice 3-Digit subtraction with regrouping strategies with a printable set of subtraction strategy task cards.
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2-Digit Subtraction Model Match-Up
Use a rigorous subtraction matching game to match subtraction word problems with number sentences, bar models, and solutions.
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Compensation Strategy for Subtraction – Teaching Slides
Teach your students to use the compensation strategy for subtraction with an interactive teaching slide deck.
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Subtraction Using the Bar Model - Worksheet
Review and assess your students’ subtraction skills with a 3-digit subtraction worksheet focusing on the bar model strategy.
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Subtraction using Place Value Disks - Worksheet
Subtract 3-digit numbers using place value disks with a printable 3rd-grade subtraction worksheet.
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Bar Model Subtraction - Math Color By Number Worksheet
Bring a bit of spooky math fun into the classroom with a Halloween color by number worksheet focused on subtraction using a bar model.
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Teaching the Subtraction Algorithm - Instructional Slides
Engage your students in mathematical problem solving with. a subtraction algorithm teaching presentation.
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Subtraction Game - 2-Digit Subtraction Dominoes
Use this printable set of double-digit subtraction dominoes to practice a variety of subtraction strategies.
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Part-Part-Whole - Addition and Subtraction Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to effectively use a bar model to solve 1-digit addition and subtraction number facts using the part-part-whole strategy.
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Addition and Subtraction on a Number Line - Superhero Math Activity
Fly through addition and subtraction on a number line with an exciting Number Line Hero task card activity.
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Number Bonds Math Center Activity
Use this hands-on number bonds (addition and subtraction) strategy activity in your next guided math group lesson!
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Multi-Digit Subtraction - Interactive Claw Machine
Review knowledge of 3-and-4-digit subtraction with an exciting interactive claw machine game!
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2-Digit Subtraction Within 100 - Puzzles
Practice a variety of subtraction strategies with a set of printable math puzzles.
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Missing Addends Addition Worksheet
Build addition strategies with this worksheet where students need to identify the missing addend and matching subtraction equations.
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Making Tens Subtraction Worksheet
Find friendly numbers to subtract with a printable subtraction worksheet.
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Decomposing Numbers - Subtraction Teaching Slides
Challenge students to decompose numbers to mentally solve two-digit subtraction problems with a teaching presentation.
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Split Strategy for Subtraction – Interactive Teaching Slides
Demonstrate using the split strategy for subtraction with an instructional slide presentation.